Military Manpower

Manpower—qualified, experienced, and in adequate supply—is considered by many to be the keystone of the U.S. capability to deter or wage war. But can the all-volunteer force (AVF) continue to attract and retain the quantity and quality of active and reserve forces required to meet the security needs of the nation? The contributors to this collectio

Recruiting an all-volunteer military is a formidable task. To successfully enlist one eligible recruit, the Army must contact approximately 120 young people. The National Research Council explores the various factors that will determine whether the military can realistically expect to recruit an adequate fighting force-one that will meet its upcoming needs. It also assesses the military's expected manpower needs and projects the numbers of youth who are likely to be available over the next 20 years to meet these needs. With clearly written text and useful graphics, Attitudes, Aptitudes, and Aspirations of American Youth offers an overview of important issues for military recruiters, touching on a number of important topics including: sex and race, education and aptitude, physical and moral attributes, and military life and working conditions. In addition, the book looks at how a potential recruit would approach the decision to enlist, considering personal, family, and social values, and the options for other employment or college. Building on the need to increase young Americans' "propensity to enlist," this book offers useful recommendations for increasing educational opportunities while in the service and for developing advertising strategies that include concepts of patriotism and duty to country. Of primary value to military policymakers, recruitment officers, and analysts, Attitudes, Aptitudes, and Aspirations of American Youth will also interest social scientists and policy makers interested in youth trends.

Committee Serial No. 55. Investigates allegations of improper and inefficient utilization of military personnel. Focuses on proposal for use of civilian personnel for many noncombat military jobs and improper use of military personnel to perform personal services for superiors.

Which citizens have fought America's wars? Which ones should fight in the future, and how should they be recruited? Should military or other national service be an obligation for every citizen? David Segal's probing look at the complex issues behind these questions tells us much about the changing manpower needs of our armed forces and about the evolution of civil-military relations in the United States. Segal analyzes the mobilization, contributions, and limitations of drafted, reservist, and volunteer forces from the early days of the republic to the present. In the process, he shows how Americans have come to separate the benefits of citizenship from service to their country. Symptomatic of this separation is the current reliance on an all-volunteer military, a system that treats military service more as an occupation and opportunity for self-advancement than as a civic duty and obligation. Drawing on a vast interdisciplinary literature in American history, sociology, political science, and economics, Segal illuminates the ways demographics, weapons technology, international relations, scientific management, and social policies have all affected the composition of America's armed forces. He also shows how the military anticipated and expanded the American welfare system and played a pivotal role in creating better opportunities for minorities and women. The capabilities and performance of U.S. armed forces in future conflicts will depend on a thorough understanding of and informed response to the crucial manpower issues Segal discusses. His thoughtful study should be required reading for military professionals and policymakers and will be of interest to anyone concerned about the future of this country's armed forces.

Toward a Consensus on Military Service: Report of the Atlantic Council's Working Group on Military Service compiles the work of several authors who are all members of Working Group on Military service. Each chapter tackles relevant issues regarding the U.S. peacetime military volunteer force, such as its previous experiences and future prospects. The opening chapter covers the setting, which in turn provides a geopolitical overview of the issues faced by the U.S. military. The next chapter discusses the history of American military recruitment system, from colonial times up to the last draft era. Chapter 3 tackles the present and future of the U.S. security requirements, while the next chapter discusses the concept of an all-volunteer force as well as its implications. The fifth chapter provides an analysis of the experience and prospects of military reserves in the all-volunteer era. Chapter 6 discusses the possible repercussions of an all-volunteer forces as well as the possible remedy of such predicament. Chapter 7 explains several recruitment options for both active and reserve forces, while the Chapter 8 discusses the use of a compulsory military service when an all-volunteer system is proven inadequate. The ninth chapter examines the relationship between how the U.S. military builds up its military manpower and how it affects U.S. society both morally and ethically. The last chapter provides recommendation based on the information inferred from the previous chapter.

Roy investigates the various factors that influenced the formation and mobilization of military forces in the region from 300 BC to the modern day.